Switch-operating device for tram-cars



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. O. L. ENGSTFELD. ,SWITGH OPERATING DEVICE FOR TRAM CARS.

N0. 530,302. Patented Deo. 4, 1894.

Wwne sses (No Model.) A. G. I II ENGSTFELDI BShets-Sheet s.

SWITCH OPERATING, DEVICE FOR TEAM GARS.. No. 530,302. Patented Dec. 4.1894.

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UNITED STATES AUGUSTIN CHARLES "LOUIS ENGSTFELD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO,ASSIGNOR (PATENT, OFFICE.

OF ONE-HALF TO LAURENCE LAMB, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE FOR TRAM-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,302, dated December4, 1894.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, .AUGUSTIN CHARLES LoUIs ENcsTFELma citizen of theUnited States, residing at Cleveland, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful oted tongue of a switch and be rotated forshifting the switch. In my said patented device it is necessary toprovide shallow grooves i in the frog casting leading to each side ofthe depression in which the pivoted tongue operates, so as to guide theshifting blades into engagement with the pivoted tongue. These groovesare not found in the switch frog commonly employed, and consequently areobjectionable as they increase the cost of manufacture and render itnecessary to materially change the form of switch frog not; in use.

The main object of my present invention is to do away with the leadgrooves above referred to, and to this end my invention consists inproviding suitable guides for the shifting blade which will insureengagement of the blade with the switch tongue when it is lowered intoposition. i The guide is mounted upon the vertically movable casingwhich surrounds the shifting. blade, and is adapted to engage in thecustomary central groove of the frog casting and lead the blade intoongagement with the switch tongue. The guide is held in position forengagement with the groove of the frog casting by means ofa lug on theshifting blade, but when the shifting blade drops into the depression inthe frog casting,'the guide is released and moved up out of the way. i

Myi invention consists of other features of novelty all of whichwillifirst be described with reference to the accompanying drawings,

Application filed January 22, 1894. Seria1N0f49Z679. (No model.)

and afterward more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a plan representation ofmy improved automatic switchoperating device, a portion only of thecar truck being shown. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the same, showing the operating lever in position,andv the frog casting in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan viewof the syvitch rail and tongue. Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation ofthe shifting devices attached to the car truck.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail sideelevation of a portion of one of the shifting devices. Fig. 7 is adetail perspective view of the foot operating lever. Figs. 8 and 9 aredetail views of modified arrangements of operating levers. Fig. 10 isamodified arrangement for supporting the shifting devices. view of anopen-sided box for holding the shifting devices. 7

1, and 2. are the main track rails.

3 is a common form of frog casting formed with the usual centraldepression or recess 4 in which is pivoted the tapered "switch tongue 5.The tongue 5 is tapered at its forward end 6 and the recess 4 beveled soas to provide a small space such as7 between the end of the tongue andthe frog casting in either position of the tongue, as set forth in mypatent above referred to.

8 is another section of the frog casting which forms a continuation ofthe frog 3, and is provided with the usual flange groove or switch lead9 extending to the forward end of the recess 4 of the switch frog.

12is any approved form of car truck" Imounted on the wheels 13.

Secured to the front frame piece of the truck frame in front of theforward right wheel is a boxing 14 in which are supported my improvedshifting'devices. This boxing 14 consists of a metallic casing formed ofsteel or iron plates and secured to the truck frame by the lugs 17. 18and 18 are slots in the front wall of the boxing 14. These slots ex-Fig. 11 is a perspective tend vertically at the upper and lower ends,

and on an incline between the ends, as shown in the drawings, for thepurpose which will presently be explained, l

19 and 20 area pair of square slidingboxes orcasingsfittingin the boxing14, and adapted to move vertically therein. These casings 19 and 20, areformed with cylindrical openings or bores 21 and 22 respectivelyextending longitudinally through them, and slanting slots 23'and 24respectively, as clearly set forth in my patent above referred to.

25 and 26 are the shifting rods which are supported in the boxes 19 and20. Each shifting rod is formed with a thin blade 27 at its lower end,(which is preferably wedgeshaped) a circular-lug 28 projecting from itsfront edge and engaging in the slot 23 or 24 of the easing 19 or 20, anda supporting loop or strap 29 attached to its upper end for thereception of the end of the supporting and operating lever 30. Thecasings 19 and 20 are supported upon the lugs 28 and move verticallywith the shifting rods unless their movement is obstructed, in the sameway as in my patent.

An operating lever 30 is provided for each of the shifting devices. Thelevers 30 are pivoted at 31 to the bracket 32. The rear ends of thelevers 30 pass through the slots 18 and 18 of the boxing 14, and engagein the loops 29. The vertical movement of the ends of the levers 30 inthe slots 18 carries the shifting devices vertically as in my formerpatent, and on account of the angular direction of the grooves 18 and 18moves the devices slightly sidewise at the same time for bringing theguides and shifting blades properly over the lead groove 9 of the frog,when it is desired to operate the switch. This is necessary because itis impossible to support both devices directly over the proper point.This operation will be clearer from the description which will follow. 2

The supporting loops 29 are constructed as in my patent so as to allowthe partial rotation of the shifting bars.

33 is a foot lever pivoted at 34 in the boxing 35 which is supportedupon the platform 36 of the car body, and 37 is achain connecting thelower end of the lever 33 to the forward end of the operating lever 30.The foot lever 33 is formed with the right angled portion 38 having theloop for the reception of thefoot. The lever is adapted to be operatedas indicated by dotted lines, for operating the shifting devices. Theweight of the forward end of the lever 30 must of course be sufficientto overcome the weight ofthe shifting devices.

Extending inwardly from the side of each of the sliding boxes 19 and 20is a dog or I guide 40 which is formed with the side plates 41 whichpartially embrace the boxes 19 and 20 and are pivotally mounted upon theenlarged lugs or pivots 42.

43 is the downwardly projecting engaging nose, which is adapted to beprojected into engagement with the lead groove 9, for guiding theshifting blade into engagement with the pivoted tongue of the switch.

44 1s a pro ectlng finger or arm formed 1ntegral with one of the sideplates 41, and adapted'to engage with 'a lug 28 which project-s from theshifting rod through the slot 18 or 18. The object of this is to holdthe dog 40 down into engagement with the lead groove until the shiftingblade has descended into engagement with theswitch tongue. After theshifting rod has descended and the lug 28 is removed from engagementwith the dog, it will be observed that the dog will be elevated bycoming in contact with the pivoted tongue of the switch.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown modified arrangements of operating levers.When it is desired to place the levers close together for saving room,one of the levers 30 can be extended to one side as shown at 46 in Fig.8, and engage in the central opening 47 of the lever 48 which is pivotedat its forward end 49 and engages one of the loops 29 at its rear end;or when it is desired to apply the improvements to old style cars inwhich the steps would be in the way, both levers 30 can be extended toone side by bending them as shown in Fig. 9 and extending the pivot pinthrough the bends. In this latter case it might be necessary to supportthe shifting devices close together, and hence they could be supportedas shown in Fig. 10. In this case the slots 18 and 18 extend verticallyand the shifting devices will hang on inclines as indicated in dottedlines. The slots 18 and 18 are in proper position to guide the dogs 40into engagement with the lead grooves 9 when they are lowered.

Fig. 11 illustrates a form of boxing which does away with side plates.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to'secure by Letters Patent:

1. A switching device for tram cars comprising a vertically movablecasing, a rotatable switch-shifting blade supported in said I'IO casing,a dog or guide pivoted to said casing I and adapted to engage the leadgroove of the switch frog when the casing is lowered so as to guide theblade into engagement with the switch tongue, and means for rotating theswitching blade, substantially as set forth.

2. A switching device for tram oars, comprising a vertically movablecasing mounted on the car and formed with a slanting or inclined slot, avertically movable rotatable shifting bar working in said casing andprovided with a lug which projects through and works in said slantingslot, means for moving said casing and bar vertically, a dog or guidepivotally supported upon the casing and adapted to engage the leadgroove of a switch frog for guiding the bar into engagement with theswitch tongue, and an arm projecting from the dog or guide which isadapted to be engaged by the lug of the rotatable shifting bar so as tohold the dog into engagement with the lead groove until the shifting baris forced down into engagemerft with the switch tongue, substantially asset forth.

3. A switching device for tram cars, corn- 4, In combinationwithaswitch-shifting deprising a suitable boxing mounted upon the vice,a pivoted lever engaging said device, a car and formed with an inclinedslot in its foot lever 33 pivoted to the car, and formed front wall, avertically movable rotatable with a right-angled loop portion 38, and a5 switch-shifting bar mounted in said casing, chainconnectingthe two1evers,substantially r; a

and an operating lever projecting through as set forth.

and working in the inclined slot of the front AUGUSTINGHARLES LOUISENGSTFELD, wall of the boxing and supporting and en- Witnesses: gagingthe shifting bar, substantially as set W. A. MCWRATH,

GEO. A. SCHNEIDER.

1o forth.

